August 23, 1999 - Back on his day job today, Governor Ventura is facing some criticism at the capitol. Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe says Ventura's performance as a referee in the main event of last night's Summer Slam wrestling show was demeaning and distasteful. Ventura got better reviews from wrestling fans. Wade Keller edits and publishes the Pro-Wrestling Torch Newsletter in Minneapolis . He was at last night's event.
August 26, 1999 - Minneapolis Star Tribune business writer Jill Barshay, a native New Yorker, decribes her attempt at winning a Minnesota State Fair blue ribbon by submitting a fried sauerkraut dessert.
August 27, 1999 - A "Talk of Minnesota" program, presenting the views of MPR listeners on tax rebate checks. Topics include questions of what should be done with them; should the government have kept the money; should overall taxes be cut; who should get the credit for the nation's biggest tax cut.
August 30, 1999 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Mike Mulcahy, MPR’s political editor; Sara Janacek, republican analyst; Bob Meek, DFL commentator; and Julie Shortridge, reform party activist, about politics at a live broadcast from the Minnesota State Fair. Topics include Governor Ventura, Minnesota senate race, and 2000 presidential race. Program begins with news from MPR’s Greta Cunningham.
August 30, 1999 - Midday presents a Minnesota Citizens’ Forum on the future of rural Minnesota, held at the Minnesota State Fair. Panelists Paul Wellstone, Minnesota U.S. senator; Bob Ness, Minnesota state representative and chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Finance committee; and Colleen Landkamer, Blue Earth County commissioner, discuss issues and solutions of the rural farm community.
September 1, 1999 - John Sonsteng used to prosecute cases as a Dakota County Attorney. He now teaches constitutional criminal procedure at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul. Sonsteng says the law is quite clear about a suspect's right to an attorney.
September 7, 1999 - MPR’s Bill Wareham reviews the Mill City Music Festival, which for the first time, had an “all local” line-up. Wareham discusses perfomance highlights, including Prince, Sugar, Jack McDuff, and Slim Dunlap.
September 13, 1999 - Sports commentator Howard Sinker describes the experience of watching/listening to Minnesota Twins pitcher Eric Milton throw a no-hitter on September 11th, 1999 against the Anaheim Angels.
September 15, 1999 - Presidential hopeful Bill Bradley is in Minneapolis this afternoon to attend a campaign organizing meeting at the Sabathani Center. His opponent, Vice President Al Gore is considered the front runner in the race for the Democratic ticket. But Bradley appears to be close behind. In a statewide poll of New York voters released today Bradley is now in a virtual tie with Gore. The same poll in July had Gore leading Bradley by 18 points. MPR political commentator Sara Stoesz is a democrat who hasn't made up her mind yet about whether to support Bradley or Gore...but she says it's clear Bradley has made big inroads in Minnesota.
October 4, 1999 - A new poll shows Governor Ventura's approval rating has dropped 19 percentage points since July. The Star Tribune poll was taken a few days after release of Ventura's interview with Playboy magazine where he called organized religion a sham and a crutch for weak minded people. The poll shows 54 percent of Minnesotans approve of Ventura's overall job performance, compared with 73 percent last summer. We asked two MPR commentators for their thoughts on the governor's comments. Ken Stewart is a Family Therapist in Roseville.